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Flooded tropical peat forests
TF1.1 Tropical Flooded Peat
Layer representing the extent in Amazonia of the tropical peat forest functional ecosystem.
These are permanently flooded ecosystems characterized by deep peat soils, one of the largest terrestrial carbon reservoirs on the planet. These forests are home to species adapted to waterlogged conditions, giving them a unique biodiversity. They also play an essential role in regulating the water cycle and mitigating climate change by acting as carbon sinks. Areas affected by activities such as drainage or peat extraction experience a critical loss of biodiversity and ecosystem functions, contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.
This layer represents the functional ecosystems in the Amazon region, identified by an occurrence number that reflects the variants of the ecosystem within a specific area: occurrence 1 represents a pristine ecosystem, and occurrence 2 represents different variants of this ecosystem modified or altered by human activities. Each ecosystem is described in detail in (DESCRIP), which includes key characteristics such as vegetation structure, biodiversity, level of human influence, and prevailing environmental conditions. The ecological realm or realm to which the ecosystem belongs is specified in the (Realm) field: its associated biome is indicated in (Biome) by categorizing it according to broad climatic and geographic characteristics. The ecosystem's functional group is described in (FunctionGr), and is uniquely identified by a standard code (code, e.g., "T1.1 Tropical-Subtropical lowland rainforests"). Finally, the (URL) field is a link to the Global Ecosystems website, where additional information such as maps and detailed documentation of the corresponding functional ecosystem can be accessed.
Functional ecosystems, developed as part of the Global Ecosystem Typology framework published by IUCN in 2020, represent a global approach to classifying ecosystems according to their key ecological processes, functions and dynamics. This typology is crucial for understanding how ecosystems support biodiversity and ecosystem services. In addition, its data are fundamental for promoting sustainable development and guiding the management of natural areas at the local level, providing a scientific basis for conservation, ecological restoration and land-use planning that benefits both human communities and biodiversity.
Own compilation AmazoniaForever360+, 2023-2024 from an adaptation of Global Ecosystem Typology data available for download as Geojson and .tif models. Descriptions were simplified and polygon detail was reduced for better visualization.
More information in:
https://global-ecosystems.org/
https://global-ecosystems.org/page/typology
Description, further reading:
https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2020-037-En.pdf